Sony to cut 8,000 jobs

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm not sure that one can say that. Don't forget that Sony were the first company to come out with an eInk book reader - the Librie. That's been influential on everything that's followed.

I was thinking more in terms of the design besides the e-ink component... to me the Kindle design looks like, if it emulated anything, it was an IBM Selectric II...

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Sony has recently gotten back in touch with Rita Toews regarding Read an E-book Week, and is still expressing interest in being a part of it, and having a presence on the REBW website. Sounds like Sony is not planning on abandoning the e-book division yet!

[Gaurnim]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

Sony has recently gotten back in touch with Rita Toews regarding Read an E-book Week, and is still expressing interest in being a part of it, and having a presence on the REBW website. Sounds like Sony is not planning on abandoning the e-book division yet!

Great news, Steve, this is quite reassuring.

[Server]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

True enough but the changes are significant for a different reason. It seems that Sony is pulling production and service back to Japan. The entire TV production in the US is being shut down and even the service centers are being shut down. So it is more than just reducing the work force.

Dale

Can you blame them?

"TOKYO/SEOUL -- Sony Corp and LG Electronics Inc stunned investors on Thursday, warning of big losses, underlining the deep pain in the consumer electronics market as demand crumbles in a brutal global downturn.

Japan's Sony, maker of Bravia flat TVs, Cyber-shot digital cameras and PlayStation game machines, said it would post a bigger-than-expected US$2.9-billion operating loss this business year due to sliding demand, a stronger yen and as it restructures its ailing electronics operations."

[lilac_jive]

Originally Posted by Server

Can you blame them?

"TOKYO/SEOUL -- Sony Corp and LG Electronics Inc stunned investors on Thursday, warning of big losses, underlining the deep pain in the consumer electronics market as demand crumbles in a brutal global downturn.

Japan's Sony, maker of Bravia flat TVs, Cyber-shot digital cameras and PlayStation game machines, said it would post a bigger-than-expected US$2.9-billion operating loss this business year due to sliding demand, a stronger yen and as it restructures its ailing electronics operations."

I saw that. Insane.

[Lilly]

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

I saw that. Insane.

Sony electronic products are over priced.

[A J Edwards]

I note that in the UK Sony have increased the price of their eBook reader (£229). It is already far too expensive a device for what it does. I can buy a small laptop for £175.
If they sold the reader at a realistic price, say £120, they might do better and save some jobs. Just about everyone I speak with (private and corporate) says that they are very unlikely to buy an eBook reader unless the price comes way down.

[lilac_jive]

Originally Posted by Lilly

Sony electronic products are over priced.

Think of this though. Every time Sony sells a PS3, they sell it at a loss (I forget the figure, but it was at least $100). They do this to keep the price competitive, and they figure they can make it up in the games. This is a pretty common practice (except for Nintendo, they make a profit on the Wii and a healthy one at that).

AJ- I didn't think my Reader was that expensive. This is a fairly new technology, so I expect to pay a premium for it right now. Relax and wait a few years.

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

AJ- I didn't think my Reader was that expensive. This is a fairly new technology, so I expect to pay a premium for it right now. Relax and wait a few years.

i agree. that's how it always goes with tech. the price of readers has already gone down over the past year ; the Cybook Gen3 for instance has dropped over 100€ if memory serves, and the 505 is also available occasionally for much less than full price.

when i bought my first usb flash drive it cost me over 50€ for --wait for it-- an impressive 512mo !!! (all together : ooooh ! ) i cringe every time i think of that, since the last time i bought one it cost me something like 10 or 15€ for 2go (and the thing is 1/4 the size of my first one).

i'm not sure we can expect quite such dramatic price decreases for this technology since it's more of a niche market than usb flash drives, but prices will definitely go down particularly as soon as there are more screen manufacturers competing for sales ; the screen is the biggest reason behind the high prices for the moment.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by A J Edwards

I note that in the UK Sony have increased the price of their eBook reader (£229). It is already far too expensive a device for what it does. I can buy a small laptop for £175.

Sorry, but you are comparing apples to oranges. They are two different devices designed for two different purposes. Can you read ebooks on a laptop? Sure. Can you run Word on an reader? Certainly not.

However, the reader is designed to allow you to read ebooks for hours on end with a paper like display screen. It is much lighter than a laptop so you can hold it for long session without problem. It is lighter than most paper books. It is much cooler (temperature wise I mean) so you can set it on your lap without worrying about embarrassing burns. The battery life is measured in weeks not hours as on a laptop.

Of course, you are entitled to your opinion. But it is one that I disagree with. Certainly for YOU if you feel that way I am ok with that.

BOb

[Lilly]

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

Think of this though. Every time Sony sells a PS3, they sell it at a loss (I forget the figure, but it was at least $100). They do this to keep the price competitive, and they figure they can make it up in the games. This is a pretty common practice (except for Nintendo, they make a profit on the Wii and a healthy one at that).

AJ- I didn't think my Reader was that expensive. This is a fairly new technology, so I expect to pay a premium for it right now. Relax and wait a few years.

I was thinking more about their LCD televisions, I've been shopping for an LCD for my living room and was shock of how much more the Sony cost. How can they hope to compete when their product cost so much more for the same specs. Maybe they need to lower their production cost in order to be more competitive. I went with a 40-in Samsung HDTV; and i have to say it looks great in my living room!

[astra]

Originally Posted by A J Edwards

I note that in the UK Sony have increased the price of their eBook reader (£229). It is already far too expensive a device for what it does. I can buy a small laptop for £175.
If they sold the reader at a realistic price, say £120, they might do better and save some jobs. Just about everyone I speak with (private and corporate) says that they are very unlikely to buy an eBook reader unless the price comes way down.

Not just Sony Reader.

Cybook is £194, was 180.
BeBook is £250, was 225?
iRex iLiad v2 is £550!!!, was 440
iRex Digital Reader 1000S is £600!!!, was £450 or £460

It is not Sony. It is british pound lost about 30% of its value...

[Curly]

There are still good deals if you are willing to shop around. I bought my Sony 505 for £189 from the local Sony shop today.

It's not just the exchange rate (though I agree its the major factor) -- it also depends on availability of stock and current demand. Over the past three months prices have fluctuated by £20 -£30.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Curly

It's not just the exchange rate (though I agree its the major factor) -- it also depends on availability of stock and current demand.

I don't understand why stores/products sell in currency specific values. Price the thing in the local currency for the store and my credit card company will do the exchange at the current exchange rate. Wouldn't this also be easier on the sellers too. Constantly adjusting prices with the fluctuating exchange rates must not be fun.

BOb

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I don't understand why stores/products sell in currency specific values. Price the thing in the local currency for the store and my credit card company will do the exchange at the current exchange rate. Wouldn't this also be easier on the sellers too. Constantly adjusting prices with the fluctuating exchange rates must not be fun.

BOb

maybe they are buying it in a currency different from their own, and it costs them more because of the fluctuating exchange rates, so they have to raise their selling prices to reflect that.